The truth behind what had truly happened on that day shocked me senseless, but strangely I did not show it. I could not wrap my mind around the fact that I had been dead for two whole days before I was revived, but according to Edmund, that was
what had happened, and he was not the type to tell lies.
"What is that green liquid that you mentioned before?" I asked him.
Edmund mulled over the question for a moment before replying, " It was concocted by an alchemist on my brother-in-law's orders. You see, Anna-Maria was a stillborn."
"But she's alive and well, isn't she?" I quickly said. I could not believe my ears, and I was starting to doubt my own sanity. Was I hallucinating, or did Edmund lose his mind?
"She was revived, Annie. The exact same way you were. But there is something that you must know. The potion can only be used once, and if you die again, there is no way to revive you again," he explained.
"Then, I shall just, not die..."
Edmund smiled softly, but it did not reach his eyes. He opened
his mouth to speak but ended up not saying a word. Edmund then pulled me into an embrace, holding me tightly. He rested his chin on the top of my head, and he made a sound of approval.
"Yes, Annie. Stay alive, so that we can fulfill your dreams together," he whispered into my hair, hugging me so tightly as if he were afraid that I would suddenly disappear.
A few months had passed since that incident, and I gradually saw less of Edmund during this time. He visited me in Rhyland as much as he could, but he was mostly in the military barracks
near Cantergarre Mountains, and he dragged my brother together with him.
He now resided in Blytherock Castle, an old, ancient building that overlooked the sea and was located in Lockebel, the same region as the barracks. Although I was used to the warm, glittering blue southern sea, since Winterbourne Castle was a few minutes away from the Southern Gulf, I had never stepped foot in Lockebel, or seen the cold, bleak western sea. I had been told that you could see the easternmost islands of Ravier from Blytherock Castle, and now I felt even more tempted to go there.
We were to be married in two months from now, and around twenty seamstresses had invaded my chambers, each fussing with each other about the suitable colour for my wedding dress.
At first, I wanted a gown of periwinkle hue, reflecting my heritage as the daughter of the House of Winterbourne, but I eventually settled with a white gown trimmed with the
Chauvelot gold, to signify my allegiance to the House of Chauvelot.
Lisbeth had sent a letter saying that she would not attend, and my mother was far from enthusiastic either. I had no friends either, so there was barely anyone to attend my marriage. I was
disappointed, but then I received a letter from the north. Claudie said that she would surely attend, but she would have to disguise herself first. A few days later, I received another letter, this time from Almswood Castle.
My Lady Anne,
I am incredibly pleased to hear that you will be married at last. I would love to attend, but first I must find a way to escape this place. My father has not allowed me to go out and I am essentially a prisoner. But rest assured Lady Anne, for I will certainly find a way out.
Lady Cecily de Chauvelot
I felt concerned for Cecily's wellbeing, especially from the lines 'Essentially a prisoner'. However, I also knew that King Edward was a horrible father and locking his own daughter in a tower did not seem too farfetched.
Eventually, I decided to send a letter to Gilbert, telling him to visit Princess Cecily at Almswood, and to bring food with him, as I doubted that she was well-fed there. Gilbert and I were sixteen that year, and my brother had grown up from being a scrawny. pale and thin teenager into a strapping
young man. The days he spent in the training fields had darkened his skin considerably, making his periwinkle coloured eyes look even more promnent.
He was still my twin, my dumber other half, but he had become serious nowadays. He smiled less, and there was coldness in his eyes that was not there bcfore. I knew that he had no feelings for Princess Cecily, but I hope that at least he would treat her well
after marriage.
The poor princess was unwanted by both her parents, mistreated by her sister, and now her betrothed does not have a single shred of love for her in his heart.
I wanted to be kind to her, to welcome her into our Winterbourne family, but my father was not exactly fond of her,
and my mother outright hated her after finding out that she was no longer a princess.
And then, there was me, the person who killed her aunt and brother, and drove her mother to suicide. The thought of what would happen if Cecily were to find out sickened me, but at this moment, there was no one for her to confide with other than myself. If only she knew.
I received no reply from Gilbert, and disappointedly I started to assume that he ignored my letter about Cecily. However, Edmund visited me at Winterbourne Castle the following week, and Gilbert did not tag along.
"Where is my brother?" I asked him, peeking at the empty cobblestone road. Perhaps Gilbert was hiding around, or he was running a bit late.
"He left the camp last week. He said he had something to do, Annie. I assumed that he would already be here, but it appears that he isn't," Edmund replied, much to my shock.
Could it be that Gilbert actually went over to Almswood Castle?
Edmund then ushered me inside, saying that it was too cold outside, This year, it did not snow, but the wind was especially chilly. Once we were inside, he brought out a scroll from inside
his cloak, and he spread it open on the wooden table.
"What is this, Edmund?" I asked while eyeing the intricately illustrated scroll. It appeared to be showing the plan of a castle, but I did not know why he was showing it to me.
"This is the plan of Blytherock Castle, Annie. We shall live there after our marriage rather than Sterling Castle, as it is much closer to your hometown and the barracks as well. It is much less colder than the north, and I'd rather not stay at Cindertrappe, after all that happened," he explained.
This news excited me, as I had long yearned to see the western
sea, or visit the Cantergarre Mountains, and now I would get to see it every day.
"I ordered for some renovations to take place, Annie. Look, over here is courtyard, and all sorts of flowers will be planted there so that it will be just like the south. It is a bit chilly there, so I added central heating as well," he said, smiling softly.
Edmund then pointed at the outline of a room, his smile now growing even wider. "And this is the nursery. For our little princes and princesses."
The topic of children had always brought me unease. I knew that
I would have to reproduce to continue the bloodline of House
Winterbourne but marrying into the royal family made my offspring even more important, more significant.
I did not hate children, but I was not exactly fond of them. I could still stand some of them, like Gabriel and Anna-Maria, but as the others, not so much. I feared that I would despise my own child, and how unfair would it be for him or her to be this world, only to be hated by its own mother.
A toddler and a fetus had died by my hands, and every day I lived in terror, thinking that perhaps one day, divine retribution will finally come for me, and my child would be taken away from me.
I looked at the nursery with cold eyes, smiling thinly just to ease Edmund's poor heart.
He was planning to seize the crown, and for that, he needed a good standing and power, great influence, and a legitimate heir. Edmund was already powerful and influential enough on his
own, but his association to House Winterbourne made his prominence even more astounding. He had a strong military backing, and as the son of the deceased Crown Prince, Edmund's claim to the throne was indisputable.
With a few gold ingots, he could easily reverse the claims King Edward had made about his brother being illegitimate, and Edmund would be returned to the line of succession again. All he needed now was an heir, and it all rested on me. I would carry the child in my womb for nine months and watch as it grows up, hoping that it would not suddenly fall ill and die.
That child would become my strength and success, the price I pay in exchange for the crown. Dead Queen Helene was wedded to King Edward for thirteen years before she finally conceived
Prince George, and god knows the humiliation she went through all those years for not bearing the king an heir.
My mother said that when Princess Margaret was born, everyone found her so beautiful and adorable that they
excused the fact that she was not a boy. However, when the queen became pregnant again, everyone was anticipating for a boy, an heir to the throne.
The astronomers began charting the stars to see the unborn child's fortunes, the physicians proudly claiming that it was indeed a boy from seeing Queen Helene's ethereally glowing face, and court entertainers sang praises and wrote poems for the pregnant queen, calling her Good Queen Helene and Helene Regina.
The pleasantries came to a halt when the queen went into premature labour and gave birth to a deformed Princess Cecily with a horribly marked face, and all of the sudden Good Queen Helene became The Devil's Mother overnight. Prince George was born when Cecily was ten years old, and the humiliation
that the queen experienced must have taken a toll on her. She did not only lose a son, but she lost the trust and respect of the people, and her grasp on the crown had been shaken.
I was afraid that one day, I too would become like Queen Helene. I forced myself to smile for Edmund and nodded. "Yes, the future Kings and Queens of Phoenicia."
All of a sudden, I heard the sound of someone knocking on the door loudly and urgently, so I rushed to get it.
On the other side of the door, I saw Gilbert, thoroughly soaked with rain, and behind him stood Princess Cecily.
"Gilbert, why is the Princess Cecily here with you?" I asked cautiously, and Edmund also peered outside in confusion.
My brother let out a heavy sigh and raked his fingers through pasty, wet hair.
"What do you think had happened, Anne? I am now married to her."
Hi! If you liked this story, try checking out my other story, which is set in the early 1700s, Catarina and The Prince !